Friday, September 30, 2011

Even in a county like Marin, the economy in relationship to animal welfare is having a direct impact on goods and services. The need for cat food and litter has so depleted their supplies they have a critical need of these to continue to service the elderly, those with HIV/AIDS and those receiving hospice services.

Check out the story here and if you are in this area, please consider donating food for this worthy cause. If you don't live in this area, please consider donating to your local humane society or rescue. The ability to help keep animals in their homes instead of continuing to flood into shelters helps keep the animals safe.

10%. It doesn't sound like much but given the location of the Shelby Humane Society, it will mean the world to the animals who have fallen in that 10%. Add that to the fact the Executive Director and her dog just won the Beneful Dream Dog Park Contest and they show they are making strides to do away with a stereotype long associated with Alabama.

Lake County Animal Services has some beautiful dogs for adoption. Many of these animals, due to the nature of Animal Services, will not make it out of the shelter. Please post and crosspost these dogs in the hopes there is a loving home out there for some of them.

CALL/EMAIL DENISE ASAP. WE ARE ALL CONSIDERED URGENT AS TIME IS ALWAYS LIMITED.LOCATED AT LAKE COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES (TAVARES, FL)CONTACT ASAP: DENISE AT williams.denise022@gmail.com OR 352-636-3740

This is Chief...beautiful...owner give up....owner says he is suppose to be 10 yrs old, he does not look it or act it.......he looks to be like 6-7 yrs, and acts like he is 4 yrs old....not yet neutered.MORE INFO: FINE WITH OTHER DOGS AND CATS and very loving. Housebroken. His owner is in Hospice.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Scout, a 6-month Hound-mixed, strikes a pose during a photo session with Eric Wilson, Square Dog Photography, and Adrielle Rudzitis, Tree of Life, who are volunteering time photographing dogs and cats needing adoption at the Lee County Domestic Animal Services in Fort Myers, Florida, Sept. 22, 2011. Photo by Debi Pittman Wilkey/news-press.com. / Debi Pittman Wilkey, special to news-press.com

In what seems like several eons ago, but was really only 5 years or so, I came up with the brilliant idea to showcase the homeless senior animals I came in contact with for an article in the newspaper. What better way to showcase these animals than by having professional photos taken and then splashed in color in the newspaper. This was made possible because I actually worked for the paper and a wonderful photographer there volunteered her time to take the photos. (thanks again, Lara)This began a bi-annual adoption event which was successful in placing over 100 senior dogs and cats in new homes. The new families were also furnished an 8x10 framed copy of the photo to take home with them.Pictures, as any good marketing person knows, sell. Professional ones are even better. Many shelters and rescues must use what is available to them, in most cases small, digital cameras with an employee snapping the photos as quickly as possible, simply to get a photo to post on a website. This works but professional photos work even better.Professional photographers know how to capture the essence of the animal. I don't know how they do it, but they do. They have the ability to show the hurt, longing, devilry, spunkiness and any other emotion which comes through an animal's eyes.So this story, in the Ft. Myers News Press, really caught my eye. It seems a professional pet photographer has volunteered to come to Lee County Animal Services to photograph their pets. It is a definite advantage for the animals.Kudos to him for donating his time and expertise. The animals will all win.

Two years after a public outcry and raid on Memphis's Animal Services, they are set to open a brand new facility. The old facility had cameras which the public could view. The new facility also has camera, but these are linked to the police department so if a problem is noticed, it can be taken care of immediately.The new state-of the art facility costs $7.2 million and at 35,000 square feet is three times larger than the old one. A nationwide hunt will begin today for a new shelter director, for those who may be inclined to move.Check out the story and slideshow. Let's hope that the rumors of illegal activities and neglect will not continue. I am sure the animal lovers in Memphis will be watching closely.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

According to the 2010 Census, there are 99,479,722 Americans living in rental housing. If just 10 percent of these people want a pet but can't adopt one because of lease restrictions, that's nearly 10 million more homes (more than double the amount of animals reportedly killed in shelters each year for "lack of homes").Now, as a person who rented homes for years before becoming a homeowner, I know these figures hit pretty close to the mark.Growing up we always had a dog. I cannot imagine what my life would have been like without one. Being an Army brat, housing was sometimes not easy to come by and my parents did not purchase their own home until two years before my father retired, when I was fifteen.Because we always seemed to find housing and we always had a dog, the landlords must have changed in the last forty years.Nowadays, if you are allowed to have a pet in an apartment you may face not only weight restrictions, but also breed restrictions. I can only imagine this came about due to the irresponsibility of pet owners who did not control their pets to the point of damages assessed on the rental property.So now, if these depressed days of real estate, where many are losing their homes to foreclosure and are becoming displaced, they can move into an apartment with their family pet. This has caused even more overcrowding in shelters. If you are allowed pets, sometimes the deposits amount to such a large amount of money, a regular working Joe/Jane cannot afford the deposit. This means even if they are animal lovers, they cannot afford the costs associated with renting property.I think this is a shame. Pets bring so much into our lives. So talk to your landlord. See if you can own a pet and if your landlord says no, ask why. Then arm yourself with as much information as possible about their concerns and go back and visit the issue again. Nothing is impossible. Even owning a pitbull in an apartment complex. Shhhh. Let's keep that quiet though.

As someone who reads too many daily newspapers, I see articles on dog attacks from Florida to California and back again. I have written over and over about why aggressive dogs must be shot and killed when police officers and animal control have so many other tools available to contain an animal.I have to give kudos to the Napa, California animal control officers who did not simply pull out a gun and shoot a stray pit bull because he was aggressive which I have noticed is what most officers tend to do. They instead, tasered him and then used a tranquilizer gun on him to transport him back to the shelter.Experience tells me the dog will probably be euthanized but you never know. They may take him back to the shelter and give him some time to chill before evaluating his behavior. They didn't shoot to kill him before this decision was made, which is a step in the right direction.Check out the story here.

I post dogs on a daily basis. Most of the animals which come across my email and other accounts have reached the end of the line for shelter dogs. Some emails I receive have six or seven dogs listed along with photos and descriptions. These dogs are more than likely to be on that particular shelter's short list for euthanasia.The breeds run the gamut from the smallest chihuahua to the largest mastiff and every breed and mixed breed in between. I always have a surplus of pitbull mixes and labrador mixes or a combination of pitbull/labrador mixes. The reason I receive so many of these dogs is the popularity of both breeds and the irresponsibility of their owners to have their pets altered.I could work on the computer posting animals for eight to ten hours a day, seven days a week and still not get all the photos up for others to see. There are simply too many unwanted animals in the state.It then becomes up to me to decide which dogs are posted and which ones are not. Do I post the cute poodle mix who is only one year old or the ten year old rottweiler who stands the lesser chance of the two?So I type and download, download and type in the hopes someone, somewhere will see a photo and not be able to resist. I then repost on Facebook and ask all my friends to post and crosspost to all their friends. Exposure is the best possible way to reach more people and give these animals a better chance.If you receive emails or Facebook items and someone has asked you to share these with all your contacts, please do it. It doesn't take but a minute and it may be a life-changing decision for a homeless pet.

Sweet Oreo is approximately 3-4 months old and weighs 25-30 pounds. He is a border collie/labrador mix and is just a baby. He is located at the Lake County Shelter in Tavares and is on the short list for euthanasia.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

I am always sad to read stories like this one. Ohio has a very large population of puppy mills which continue to breed and sell all over the United States. Their animal shelters are so overcrowded, they must continue to euthanize to make room for more and more dogs and cats coming into the system. We face many of the same problems herePlease check out the story here and if you know of anyone who lives in this area, please forward this on to them so as many of these dogs can be saved as possible. The odds don't look good for most of them but we must all keep trying.

Our neighbors to the north are on the right track concerning the selling of dogs and cats in pet stores unless they come from shelters or rescue groups. This happened right after the bust of the largest puppy mill ever in Canada.Animal rights activists are hoping this move will continue to all areas and cities in Canada.Check out the story here.

Each time there is a seizure from a backyard breeder and neglect or mistreatment is obvious, most residents of the area assume the person is punished and that will be the end of the story. Too often the person agrees to relinquish the animals to the local animal control and no charges are brought, even when this occurs again and again.This was the case of a breeder in Collier County. The difference was the animal lovers in the area who took note of how often this particular person had been in county violation. When no charges were brought they wanted to know why.I read the editoral in one of their local papers and I believe the County Commissioners may now be listening. You can check it out here and continue to be vigilant in your area. When something is not being done the way you feel it should, stand up and speak out. Nothing is ever changed by keeping your mouth shut.

Monday, September 26, 2011

This one almost broke my heart yesterday. Nemos owner recently died and no family member would step up for him instead they brought Nemo to the overcrowded County shelter. There was no empty kennel for him so we kept him up front for a couple of hours and this is how he sat the whole time, just focused on the door and watching every car that went by, waiting for someone to come back and get him. Of course, nobody did. Nemo is a neutered male around 5 years old, 39 pounds, looks like a small retriever but mom was a Doxie. Nemo really needs rescue help, he does not need to be in the shelter.

If you can help Nemo, please let me know as soon as possible. This little boy is heartbroken.

PER OCAS: Check out Roxy! (A214427) She is a 10-year-old Rottweiler. She may be older, but don't let that fool you, she is full of energy. She knows how to play fetch and loves belly rubs! Come meet her today!Animal ID: A214427 Room No.: WDI30Hi, the Shelter named me Roxy. I am an approximately 10 year old black and brown spayed female Rottweiler. I am friendly and I have not been tested for heartworms. I have been at Orange County Animal Services since Friday, September 16, 2011.

Animal ID: A214822 Room No.: WDI33Hi, I am an approximately 11 year old black and brown male Germ Shepherd-Mix. I have not been tested for heartworms. I have been at Orange County Animal Services since Wednesday, September 21, 2011.

PER OCAS: Meet Cocoa! (A214739) This senior Beagle is a little shy with new people, but once she knows you, she loves you. Cocoa also snorts like a little piglet when snacking! Please share with your friends and help Cocoa find her forever home!Animal ID: A214739 Room No.: WD10Hi, my name is Cocoa. I am an approximately 9 year old brown and white female Beagle. I am friendly and I have not been tested for heartworms. I have been at Orange County Animal Services since Tuesday, September 20, 2011.

Imagine only having 3-6 months to live and spending your time left worrying about whether your pets will be taken care of. Karen is a local 49 years old woman with terminal cancer and 5 beloved cats. She is more worried about the fate of her fur family than about dying and she deserves to spend her last months at peace. One cat is a 10 yo Maine Coon named Pax; 10 year old tabby named Eli; and 3 year old siblings Grace, Molly and Mookie (m). All are s/n...please share locally and help find homes for these kitties so she can rest in peace!Any interested people can contact me at pbcups135@yahoo.com and I will forward to her.

Friday, September 23, 2011

I am extremely honored I actually had the pleasure of meeting this wonderful dog while she was still nursing a litter of puppies. What a perfect dog she seemed to be, even with her puppies tugging and jumping all over her.Honey is sweet and loving to both people and dogs. She is a very gentle dog that enjoys having her belly rubbed and scratched. Honey was Spayed on 2-11-11 and recently successfully completed heartworm treatment. She is looking better and healthier than ever and seems to have a smile on her that doesn't go away. Honey is ready for her forever home, this wonderful dog will make a great addition to any family. This pet comes with a 30-day gift of Sheltercare pet insurance, the number one brand of pet insurance for adopted pets.

If you have an interest in adopting Honey, please contact: Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota, FL941.840.4055

It was interesting to read an article about a town actually breaking away from the County Animal Services and beginning their own, which they believe will be more cost effective and will also deal with cats, which Pasco County Animal Control does not do.Check out the story here.

I have written several times about exotic species being let loose in the wild to crowd out Florida's native species and continue to believe there needs to be more regulation of non-native species.Then I stumbled upon an editorial written to advise people non-natives had every right to be in the state because they really had no impact on the natives. This person went on to talk about propaganda used to distort our feelings about snakes and other reptiles when in truth, they were not nearly as destructive as say, feral cats. What?That was the statement which caught my eye. It is a scientific fact, feral cats are opportunistic feeders and if a colony is being cared for, they won't go hunt. I know because I wrote an article on this very subject several years ago. This was one argument which has been used repeatedly to try and call for the destruction of all feral cat colonies. Now, this does not mean a feral cat does not occasionally kill another wild animal. House cats will sometimes kill other wild animals. It happens. So do we want non-native species breeding and becoming out of control?You cannot legislate responsibility. It doesn't work with domestic animals and it sure won't work with exotics. You can, however, limit those which are not native to the state through licensing. I suggest we do that.Check out the article here.

I am a firm believer is chasing your dreams. My friend, Rhys, is a perfect example of someone who, when presented with lemons in her life, resisted the temptation to become a "feel sorry for me" person and instead began trying to fulfill one of her dreams. When she was let go at her job working with animals at a local humane society, she took everything she knew about animals and rescue work and began her own non-profit.She realized, especially in today's economy, many families were destined to give up their family pets because they could not afford necessary medical care for them and no other options were available. This created a surplus of animals flooding our local rescues.Fairy Tail Endings has this mission statement on their website: Fairy Tail Endings, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to helping financially struggling families in Sarasota County keep their pets and provide proper care through financial aid, product and service donations, education and outreach. In short, our mission is to grant cherished pets their most rewarding HAPPILY EVER AFTER...staying with their adoring families.How can you not support a mission statement like that? The answer is, you can't. This is a win-win non-profit. The animals win because they get to stay with their beloved owners. The owners win because they don't have to give up their animals. The community wins because the number of animals flooding our local rescues is decreased and if you contribute, you get a tax deduction when all of us are looking for ways to decrease our tax bill.You can donate right on their website or you can shop and a portion of what you buy is donated back to the organization. Check it out here and then forward it on to all your friends. It is only with continued support, an organization like this can continue to help.

I have been linking to the column written by Kris Weiskopf, Director of Animal Services in Manatee County for the past few weeks. They are attempting to make Manatee County a no-kill county. It is a grand undertaking but they are making strides with the cooperation of the county, the public and other rescue groups in the area including Sarasota's Animal Rescue Coalition.In fact, they were used as an example in Tallahassee, where they are exploring ways to increase adoptions and decrease euthanasias.These are all signs we are moving forward in the state to educate people and try to prevent needless euthanasia of adoptable animals. How cool is it that Manatee is the first open admission, government run, animal control agency attempting to become no-kill and other agencies are looking at them to find solutions.Check out the story here.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Volunteers,As of today we now have 2 staff members on medical leave. For the next 2 weeks we’ll be very short in each area. We have had a lot of help from everyone & it’s very much appreciated. We do have trustys from the jail to assist on the weekdays but we’ll still need some assistance on weekends. I think that having more help with dog walking is needed since we have so many & on last Saturday no dog walkers came until maybe later in the day. That took staff away from other duties and made us behind in our tasks. The dog’s really need that extra walk or yard time for their mental & physical wellbeing.Thanks for your continued support & hopefully soon we’ll have a volunteer/foster coordinator to make things run smoother.Tami Treadway Animal Care Supervisor Animal Services Section 8451 Bee Ridge Rd., Sarasota, Fl 34241 941-861-9502 ttreadw@scgov.netwww.sarasotasheriff

BEGGING for this ONE puppy -- PLEASE do not let him be euthanized. Today is the BIG PTS date, where many souls will be heading across the rainbow bridge. Please save SAM who has not even had a chance to live yet.

Monday, September 19, 2011

This press release from Petpoint shows rescues and shelters may be making a dent in the population of homeless dogs and cats. Although adoptions for dogs are stagnant, according to the report, intakes and euth's are down and cat adoptions are up. It is an interesting statistical report from one of the largest developers of rescue software.Check it out here.

My name is T3. I was found as a malnourished stray and taken to the shelter. I need a rescue or adopter. I am an approximately one year old, male, brindle boxer/lab mix. I am heartworm negative. I am friendly and love tennis balls and squeaky toys. I am a very happy boy and would love to be part of a family.

PER OCAS: Meet Cookie! (A213660) This 10-year-old Shepherd mix is super sweet and is looking for the perfect place to live out her "golden years." Cookie is loving, leash trained and housebroken! Remember, now through October 31 our Seniors for Seniors promotion allows people over 55 to adopt pets over 6 for FREE!

Candy is a 10 month sweet baby bully girl who was dodging traffic on a stormy night. Her puppy was following behind her. A couple opened up their car door for her to get in and she jumped in, unfortunately the puppy didn't make it.The rescuer brought her home and vetted her and was attempting to hold on to her and find her a home, but her own personal female dogs attacked Candy twice, very seriously. There is nowhere to separate them in the small apt. This is very dangerous and in order to keep Candy from being attacked again, Candy will have to be brought to a shelter. Can anyone help? Candy is 35-40 lbs. loves other dogs and cats and never stops wagging her tail. No aggression whatsoever. HER HOURS are NUMBERED PLEASE CONTACT (561)305-2623 SCHERREL@BELLSOUTH.NET IF U R A REPUTABLE RESCUER OR SERIOUS INQUIRY FOR ADOPTION/FOSTER CANDY THANK-U PLEASE CROSSPOST

If no one out there is able to adopt Candy but interested in fostering, Satchel's Last Resort, can pull her. We also have someone who can transport (she is in Boca Raton now). So please share this email to all you know in the hopes that we can save her and let me know if you need our help.

I am always happy to find articles about the adoption of senior cats and dogs. This article has some very good points including one I had never seen. The ratio of puppies and kittens does not change, no matter how many come through the shelter, but seniors stay on the floor lots longer.Check it out here.

Animal cruelty comes in many shapes and sizes. I believe you cannot explain away cruelty by using age as a factor. So I was pleased to see San Francisco stop this man's art project before he got started. It seems this artist made a film after he went to a shelter, adopted a dog, shot the dog and filmed it. This was art according to him. That was in 1977, two years after I graduated from high school. I would have been horrified then and I am now.Cruelty is cruelty and I hope he learned his lesson. Not that I could afford it but I won't be buying anything he sells any time soon.

This headline caught my eye, not because I am surprised, but because it is the same all over the country. This story is about Indiana, I read it in the Houston Chronicle and we feel the same pinch in our area. I understand people who don't know and love animals wanting to cut the budgets of Animal Controls, but can't we trim the fat first, before we begin killing animals just because it is more convenient to cut them from the budget than tightening our belts in other places.Check out the story here and simply substitute your hometown in the name.

Canada apparently has as much a problem with breeders and puppy mills as the United States. The raid on this kennel outside Montreal found 525 dogs in need. The workers are asking residents for donations to help with the dogs including food, kennels, dishes, toys, etc.Check out the story here.

Pilots N Paws, which is a wonderful organization, helped transport 130 animals out of South Carolina to other shelters across the country. I think it is wonderful 130 animals were taken out and I hope the shelters they were going to had the room to house them without having to euthanize others who had been at the shelter longer.Check out the story here.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

These are pictures taken of another set of moms and puppies in Homestead. They were discovered tonight , but volunteers had nowhere to put them so they are still there. If anyone can take call Mirta. 305 484 1349. They look to be aussie mixes. Can't keep going down there and leaving food but leaving them behind. Please, can some rescues step up? The two brown shepherds are still there with horrible eye infections. Nowhere for them to go. :(need fosters and rescues.) or it is more humane to take them and bring to the shelter. Better than leaving them to die a slow death of starvation and dehydration and disease. Mirta knows the locations. She will bring them to anyone who has a place to keep them. We can raise funds for vetting but we have nowhere left to place them. Call Mirta if you can help 305 484 1349.

Hi, the Shelter named me Bailey. I am an approximately 2 year old black and white female Am Pit Bull Ter. I am friendly and I have not been tested for heartworms.Bailey is located at Orange County Animal Service Orlando, Florida. If you are a rescue partner at OCAS, e-mail debra.villella@ocfl.net . If you need assistance with the paperwork, or if you are not a rescue partner, please contact veronica@fldoglover.com or lmasters@cfl.rr.com or mmj6472@aol.com. Please post and cross post.

We have a Beagle in our shelter that is in need of rescue. She is older and very sweet girl. She would sit and stay for me for a short while. Likes attention. If anyone can help her please let us know. She came in as an injured stray on the 14th. Her due out date is the 18th. When I took pictures of her today she seem to walk with all four. Thank you for all you do.

Because I post so many dogs needing rescue every day from so many different groups, you would think I would become immune to the photos of dogs who didn't make it. Just this week I have posted a lot of animals from Orange County Animal Control and most of them did not make it out alive. Some of the smaller ones did, but the larger dogs, the black ones, the older ones or the ones who have pitbull in them never saw a home again.My heart is breaking for the animals. Anyone who ever bred a dog for the money the puppies would bring in, anyone who ever bought a puppy from a pet store, anyone who ever kept an unaltered dog or turned in a dog that was not longer wanted because it was_______, you fill in the blank, should have to see what we in rescue see on a daily basis. They should be required to witness how many animals are euthanized every day due to their actions. These are the people I am angry at.So for all the dogs who lost their lives this week, I apologize. We did the best we could and it was still not good enough. Although this makes me sad it makes me even more determined to post these animals, educate the public, work for the animals until I can no longer work in the hopes one more can be saved, one more backyard breeder can be stopped, one more person can be educated and we can truly become a humane race again. One dog at a time.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Underdog is kindly asking for your help! We need assistance getting the word on the following dogs. We are for the moment trying not to take on anymore dogs. - This is of course easier said than done. There is always a phone call, email, or urgent situation that you just cant say no to. Unfortunately with the birth of my child and the many responsibilities and time commitments that go with it I am not able to devote the time needed to effectively market, follow up on leads and attend adoption events. Instead we would like to focus our efforts on our original mission; fundraising and underwriting.As you all know in most cases it takes a group effort to get a dog into a good home. I am asking for that effort now. We either need reliable foster homes, forever adoptive homes or a reputable rescue groups to take these guys on. If you can foster that would be great. Please know that we cover all veterinary expenses while the dog is with you. We also supply the first 25lb of food any vitamins, supplements needed, crate and bed. We ask that you simply be a stable home ready to give the dog a sense of what a home life with a potential adopter will entail and be prepared to possibly enact some training and or behavior modification. - Again we will be there for support. Please anticipate a commitment of minimum of 2 months and maximum of 6 months. - Larger dogs and pit bulls take longer to get adopted, this is just fact.If you are a rescue and can take any of these guys on please know that they have all been vetted so the expense of this is already covered. Also Underdog will make a sizable contribution to any reputable rescue who offers to take them on!If you can courtesy post these dogs on your sites, allow us to attend an adoption event or send us any potential adopters this would be great appreciated!! These two need to be in a foster or forever home by the 19th!! WE PAID FOR BOARDING FOR ONE MONTH, WE HAVE NO MORE FUNDS Meet Hannah: Hannah is a pure bred rottie approx. 2-3 years old about 65 lbs. She was found along with her beau, Harrison wandering in the Everglades by Mirta, a park ranger and dog lover. Hannah was obviously someones pet. She has a docked tail, someone had this done. She is a very sweet girl and gorgeous. I personally visited Hannah and Harrison last week and they are both so fun loving and playful, they would make any family very happy! She loves car rides and appears to get along well with other dogs. She has been de-wprmed and received all her vaccines. She will be spayed as well. She is being boarded in Davie.

Meet Harrison: Harrison is a black labrador retriever mix. He is about 45 -50 lbs. He ia about 2 yo. He was found with his girlfriend, Hannah. He is timid at first but not aggressive. He is also fully vetted and will be neutered prior to being adopted. We would love for Hannah and Harrison to go to a great home or even a rescue together. They are very obviously bonded. If this isn't possible we would at least like them to go into a situation where there is another dog so that they can have a companion. We know how hard it is to get black dogs adopted but we are hopeful!

I have featured Chili on the blog several times and no one seems to be interested. Please read his story from his foster Mom and if you know of anyone or you yourself are interested, contact her with the information below. It seems shameful this poor pup has spent his whole life in a shelter situation when he is such a good boy and has such dedicated volunteers trying to place him.

"I am fostering a little dog right now named Chili.( I say little because at 40 lbs, he is one of my smallest). HE came in the shelter as a puppy ( 8 weeks) , and this poor dog grew up there, spending 10 long months, ( most of his life).Chili was always overlooked because of being black, ( Black dog syndrome), and also having a mix of pit, he justsat there almost 1 year.I couldn't stand him going nuts in the shelter one more day, so I took him.10 animals is a bit much in one small house, but he is worth the save. Chili had quite a bit of learning to do, as he NEVER lived in a house before, and he never hadany rules, or organization. He never had toys or a bed or lived in a pack. Now, a few weeks in foster, Chili is 100 % crate trained, house trained, and LOVES cats. He likes dogs and gets along well with them.Seeing he never had toys, we did have issues with resource guarding at first. But now, toys are back to being all over the house, and he now knows he doesn't need to guard them from the other dogs.Chili does get along with dogs well, however, since I have 4 dogs, there has been a shiftin the hierarchy in my home. AS any experienced dog handler/rescuer knows, the younger, most energetic, stronger pup becomes number one. ANd Chili is now number one in my home. My old dogs understand this "dog talk" ,and haven't challenged the "rules" in a dogs world. My 12 year old can't compete, and is to lazy to, so my dogs have accepted their age and new roles. (I find it is PEOPLE who are confused by this concept, and try to change the way dogs live and decide who is leader. The young wolves in Yellowstone are alphas, and the old ones get mauled, so trust me, I don't make this up, this is how dogs communicate and run their packs, but humans still want to give their oldest dogs "alpha " titles, and that's not how dogs live).So Chili , takes the lead now, and actually my lazy dogs don't mind. So he would be great with other dogs, pending the person understands how dogs live their hierarchy's. .He is a small black dog, 40 lbs, pit x. So if you hear of anyone looking for a dog, he is very smart and learns quick.He would be GREAT in a cat home, or by himself, or with a person who "gets" the roles of a multi dog house.As long as the person is experienced with dogs, and how to manage toys, etc, they will be fine.If you hear about anyone wanting to look at a dog, please contact me, I can meet up on my days off . "Thanks,Carolyn calveggy@juno.com

PLEASE HELP SHARE FOR MAX'S SAFE RETURN....HE IS VERY FRIGHTENED :-( IF YOU ARE IN THIS AREA PLEASE HELP LOOK FOR HIM.......$200 REWARD IF FOUND!!!!!LAST SEEN ON 9/14: RT60/441 at Desert Inn as well as BP in Osceola County FLCONTACTS: DENISE AT williams.denise022@gmail.com (gmail.com) OR 352-636-3740 OR KATIE AT (321) 287-8837 OR katefioc@earthlink.net (earthlink.net)G.R.I.T.S. Animal Crossposting FL-GA-TN - Help Save a Life - Click Here to Visit us & Share us on Facebook

Cooper was an owner give up along with his two sisters. His sisters have been adopted and now Cooper is desperately searching for a new home. There is a $125 Urgent Rescue Donation offer for him. Cooper tends to be a dominate male and would not do well with another male in the household. The original owner ran into financial difficulties and was unable to keep the dogs. Cooper is a purebred Catahoula Leopard Hound, between 3 and 4 years old, knows some commands and although was kept outside, keeps his kennel clean so we believe would be easy to housebreak. As is always the case in Lake County, time is of the essence.

Hi, my name is Kobe. I am an approximately 1 year 5 month old white and brown neutered male Staffordshire. I am friendly and I tested heartworm negative. I have been at Orange County Animal Services since Monday, September 05, 2011.Here is my story: He loves to play with other dog's and loves to play with the water hose. This is a very nice dog and would make a great addition to a family. He listens well when corrected. He knows commands and is eager to please.

Jackson is a beautiful, purebred Boxer who has been living at Satchel's Last Resort. He would do well in his own home with his own people as the only animal. This is what his intro says:

"Jackson ended up a Satchels because his owner didn’t take him along when she left the man she was living with. The guy didn’t want poor Jackson, so after about six months of spending no time with him – he dumped him at our vet. Jackson is a bit hyper here, but he’s great in a car and loves to go for walks. He’s crazy about laser lights.He’s not fond of other dogs, and has a strong prey drive so he shouldn’t be with cats. He’d do really well in an adult only household with people who would play with him and not just leave him in the back yard to amuse himself."

If you are looking for a new companion and Jackson looks like the dog for you, please contact Satchel's at comments@satchelslastresort.com and ask about Jackson.

This is a great idea and I hope it works. I believe the problem will be in not enough foster homes listed on the website but check out the article and see if you might want to list your group with them. It could mean finding more homes for animals set for euthanization. Only time will tell.

Another shelter is closing in Indiana. Putnam County Humane Society has 4 dogs and 26 cats left and are scheduled to close the doors in 17 days. Check out the story here and please contact anyone you know who may can get these animals out before they are destroyed.

I have read so many articles about people who take exotics into their homes and don't have a clue what these animals need to survive. This article, from New Jersey, is a perfect case in point.This couple may have had these tortoises for 15 years, but it was obvious to the SPCA they were not being cared for properly. They were desert tortoises who were laying in water and were malnourished.I am glad they were confiscated and a new home is being sought for them. Exotics should be regulated and only those who know what they are doing should be allowed to own them.

Look at this girl, pleading with her eyes for someone to PLEASE HELP HER! Please post heavily so maybe she will have a chance for a happy future. CoCo is located at Orange County Animal Service Orlando, Florida. If you are a rescue partner at OCAS, e-mail debra.villella@ocfl.net. If you need assistance with the paperwork, or if you are not a rescue partner, please contact veronica@fldoglover.com or lmasters@cfl.rr.com or mmj6472@aol.com. Please post and cross post.

Shelby is a 9 month old puppy in Orlando who is facing certain death if we cannot find a rescue or home for her. Orlando, simply due to the number of homeless animals in the area, is always crowded and the dogs are only given a certain amount of time. Shelby is running out of time.

Look how happy and full of life she is. Her fate is now in question. Please help us get her to safety. Shelby is located atOrange County Animal Service Orlando, Florida. If you are a rescue partner at OCAS, e-mail debra.villella@ocfl.net . If you need assistance with the paperwork, or if you are not a rescue partner, please contact veronica@fldoglover.com or lmasters@cfl.rr.com or mmj6472@aol.com . Please post and cross post.

Tibbles is an American Bulldog/Boxer mix who needs a home in Orlando. We all know seniors tend to get overlooked by adopters for the younger dogs so if you can rescue this boy or know of someone who is looking for an awesome companion, please contact the people below.We cannot leave this Boy behind! Look at that handsome face, with his eyes bright and full of hope. He is going to be URGENT come Thursday, so we have at least 24 hours to network -- lets blaze our keyboards... Tibbles is located at Orange County Animal Service Orlando, Florida. If you are a rescue partner at OCAS, e-mail debra.villella@ocfl.net . If you need assistance with the paperwork, or if you are not a rescue partner, please contact veronica@fldoglover.com or lmasters@cfl.rr.com or mmj6472@aol.com.Please post and crosspost widely.

If you have animals who are in need, and what rescue group doesn't, and you send me their photo and your contact information, I will be more than happy to post the animals on the blog and my facebook page.There are so many homeless animals in our area and every time one of them is posted somewhere, they stand a better chance of finding a home.I spend hours on the computer posting and crossposting homeless animals so please don't think you are overwhelming me.Keep those critters coming and I will post them as quickly as I can.Thanks,Jean

Precious needs a rescue commitment ASAP. She is only 9 months old. Anyone able to be her savior? Precious is located at Orange County Animal Service Orlando, Florida. If you are a rescue partner at OCAS, e-mail debra.villella@ocfl.net . If you need assistance with the paperwork, or if you are not a rescue partner, please contact veronica@fldoglover.com or lmasters@cfl.rr.com or mmj6472@aol.com . Please post and cross post.

Begging for this little guy. Please post and cross post heavily for him....Campaign -- "GET GOOB OUT!!!!" Goob is located at Orange County Animal Service Orlando, Florida If you are a rescue partner at OCAS, e-mail debra.villella@ocfl.net If you need assistance with the paperwork, or if you are not a rescue partner, please contact veronica@fldoglover.com or lmasters@cfl.rr.com or mmj6472@aol.com Please post and cross post.

Hi, the Shelter named me Goob. I am an approximately 6 year old brown and tan neutered male Dachshund Lh. I am friendly and I have not been tested for heartworms. I have been at Orange County Animal Services since Thursday, September 08, 2011.

This little guy is really Unique. A smile is worth a thousand words -- and he has got it going on!!!! Let's Get him out!!!! Rocket is located at Orange County Animal Service Orlando, Florida If you are a rescue partner at OCAS, e-mail debra.villella@ocfl.net If you need assistance with the paperwork, or if you are not a rescue partner, please contact veronica@fldoglover.com or lmasters@cfl.rr.com or mmj6472@aol.com Please post and cross post.

Hi, the Shelter named me Rocket. I am an approximately 9 year old gold and white male Pekingese-Mix. I am fearful and I have not been tested for heartworms. I have been at Orange County Animal Services since Thursday, September 08, 2011.

It seems no matter how much is written by experts in animal behavior, the struggle to save pitbulls is like fighting an uphill battle. Due to so much disinformation about the breed, so many unsavory humans who use the breed for unspeakable acts and the general public's uneducated status, I am reading more and more articles about Breed Specific Legislation, euthanization of pitbulls and/or pit mixes and generally the destruction of so many dogs it causes me to have a very heavy heart.Having extra time on my hands this week due to my surgery, I was watching Animal Cops on Animal Planet which I don't get to do very often. On one particular episode, which was filmed with the Michigan Humane Society, it was stated they don't even attempt to adopt out pitbulls any longer. If they are brought in as a stray, as part of a criminal case or simply an owner give up, they are killed. Period. Just killed.That an organization dedicated to the health and well being of animals can so calmly state this bothers me. I know Detroit has problems with dog fighting but so do many other areas, ours included. I know the economy is very bad in Detroit, as in other urban areas of the United States. But to be an organization charged with taking care of the animals, I cannot find it in my heart to understand why they chose to go this route.As other rescue organizations are pulling their hair out trying to have adoptathons, training programs, educational programs and on and on, in my mind Detroit just gave up.The argument has been made to me before that we should be keeping only the best of the breed. Well, anyone who understands genetics knows best doesn't always carry down through the genes. What makes one dog aggressive won't necessarily make another one aggressive. I personally know too many aggressive dogs who have no pit in them at all and too many nice pit bulls who would lick you to death.I guess this just shows you we still have lots of work to do. I just hope we can do it before they try and wipe this breed off the planet. That seems to be what they are aiming for.

Maggie is Begging for you to please save her. She needs a Rescue hold today. Maggie is located at Orange County Animal Service Orlando, Florida. If you are a rescue partner at OCAS, e-mail debra.villella@ocfl.net If you need assistance with the paperwork, or if you are not a rescue partner, please contact veronica@fldoglover.com or lmasters@cfl.rr.com or mmj6472@aol.com Please post and cross post.

ID: A213603 Room No.: WD08Hi, the Shelter named me Maggie. I am an approximately 6 year old tricolor female Dachshund Std-Mix. I am friendly and I tested heartworm negative. I have been at Orange County Animal Services since Wednesday, September 07, 2011.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Naples has an abundance of small dogs available for adoption at this time. Harvey, pictured here, is a shepherd mix who is probably not going to be that small but look at that face. Is he simply the cutest thing going?

There are several chihuahuas, a couple of doxies or doxie mixes and Harvey.

If you can rescue any of these guys please email sweatherford@comcast.net. These are also available for adoption at Collier County Domestic Animal Services, 7610 Davis Blvd, Naples, FL.

This is one of those times I wish I was healthy enough to sit in my truck for several hours. But, that is not to be so if you can help transport this little guy from Tavares in Lake County to Arcadia, please contact DENISE AT williams.denise022@gmail.com (gmail.com) OR 352-636-3740.

He has been saved and just needs a little more help in getting to his new place. Thanks and please feel free to post and crosspost until we get him safely home.

As a dog owner who has always had multiples, the realization I cannot handle more than one dog as I get older hurts just a bit.Rottweilers are my dog of choice and if I could find a cute little rotti puppy who needed a home I would like nothing more than to raise up another one to become a representative of the breed I love so well.The truth is, I do not believe I am up to having a puppy. It is all I can do to make sure Buzz is walked, fed, vetted and loved. My energy level, although still high, is not what it was when I was 30. My life has changed dramatically since then and in order to still be a good pet parent, I realize my household will probably remain at 1 animal from now on.I wish I could do more. I wish I had more energy, time, money etc. All those things you need to care for pets.I have been tempted several times in the past few months to increase my household. Common sense has trumped so far. Just don't bring a little rotti puppy around or my sense might fly out the window.

For those not in the know, I have just returned home from spending a very exasperating 5 days in the hospital having my gall bladder removed. To say it was a pleasant experience would be a lie and I rue the day I was not in town when this happened to have my own doctors taking care of me.I became, what apparently is called, an "add-on". Since I didn't have regular doctors, I was added on to other doctor's schedules of appointments and surgeries. The result of this was a screwed up surgery and test schedule that resulted in my not having anything to eat for 5 days. I was finally granted food on the day I left the hospital, whoopee, but only bland food. Every day brought new and unpleasant experiences with cocky doctors, untrained nurses and a hospital which was obviously operating on a shoestring budget.There were a couple of bright spots. I did have several CNA's who were wonderful young men and women and genuinely cared about the patients and one who even was able to draw blood from me when everyone else, including the RN's failed. I had a surgeon who was young and enthusiastic, but needed some work on her bedside manner. I was poked and prodded and now have 4 stitched up holes in my stomach where my gall bladder was removed.I believe the most comical thing which happened, if there was a funny side to this, was after surgery. Living in Sarasota for the past 28 years, I am used to suntans and naked skin being brown just about all year round. As I was laying in bed, a young, maybe 19 or 20 year old CNA came in the room to wash me up after surgery. As she was cleaning my incisions she made the remark the docotors must have used a ton of Betadine during surgery because she was having difficulty cleaning it off my skin.As I glanced down at my stomach I realized there was no Betadine on my skin. It was simply brown skin which the CNA was attempting to scrub off. Although it hurt to laugh, I explained to the young woman that brown was my skin color, not Betadine and she could stop trying to scrub it off because it wasn't going anywhere.It was the bright spot in the hospital stay.

After my posting about Lucky in Lake County, my friend Rhys, brought up some very good points about animals which are supposedly handicapped. She mentioned one of her favorite dogs at Satchel's, which is a rescue near and dear to both our hearts.

Eileen is a tripod. She only has 3 legs but you would never know that when watching her run and play. She would have to slow down a bit for you to see she is missing a front leg.

Although she came in to Satchel's with a buddy, Wilbur, she would probably need to be the only dog in the home as she is very picky about her playmates. Unless you have room for two and she would love to have Wilbur, who is a perfect older gentleman, accompany her to a new home.

Eileen knows her name, and she knows how to "sit" and "lay down". She comes when called and just loves to play in the water. She is good with some dogs but not all dogs. When Ilene likes a another dog, she will play for hours. Ilene definitely loves soft toys and treats. She is ready for a ride in the car anytime. She's a one happy-go-lucky dog. Will you pick her?

About Me

I am passionate about animals. After owning and working with animals for years, I believe we must be their voice and it will only be through education and legislation we can stop the euthanasia of millions of animals in this country every year.
I am a volunteer with my local shelter and put in as many hours as my schedule allows. I own 2 rescue dogs, Buzz and Betty, the 2 Florida Brown Dogs in the photo with me.
I believe those that could, should, whether it be money or time because the animals cannot speak for themselves.